


To Know These Hills

by Pretty_Little_Walker_Bait



Category: Hatfields & McCoys (TV 2012)
Genre: Black Character(s), F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Infant Death, Interracial Relationship, Major Original Character(s), Non-Canon Relationship, Non-Sexual Slavery, Post-Civil War, Post-Slavery, Triggers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 15:02:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6525019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pretty_Little_Walker_Bait/pseuds/Pretty_Little_Walker_Bait
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chyna is a young ex-slave girl, she had been property of the McCoy's but now that the Civil war has ended she is free to go. After another night of Tolbert and Calvin McCoy taking her forcefully in the night, Chyna flees from the McCoy boys, they chase her across the river, to Ellison and his son Cotton. Confederate as they are, neither can turn a cold heart to the beaten ebony girl as the McCoy boys send their hunting dogs across the river after her. Elisson runs the Boys off and takes Chyna back to his families land. Chyna is made to take care and keep watch over Cotton while Ellison is away, and she is happy to do so, as she is grateful to both. but in this time, she catches the eye of William 'Cap' Hatfield  and against their better judgement, they will follow their hearts in the middle of a war.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Across the River

She ran through the woods, her bare feet pounding the ground. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest,her breath heavy and straining. Yet still she ran, she could not afford to stop. Tree branches cut and whipped at her arms and legs as her dress was torn shorter than appropriate just above her lower thighs. Behind her, she could hear the howling of hound dogs, and the calls of men, jeering at her. "Get back her nigra! Don't care what the law say you're still mine!" Tolbert called out. The girl stopped and look behind her, her coal black eyes frantic, she looked around the forest, which way to go. Closing her eyes she could hear the sound of rushing water. "the river" she thought taking off again, It was risk, a big one at that, it would take her in heavily confederate lands, but she knew that the McCoys would never set foot on Hatfield lands without being in large numbers. She dashed into the water,as the dogs were closer now and visible to her. Two men stood on the other side, "h-help" she called out but her voice was too small and too tired.

The men mounted their horses as if to leave. "P-Please!"She called out louder as she fell onto the opposite shore. The younger man looked over, he spotted the girl lying on the shore, and His eyes grew large as one of the hound dogs clamped its teeth into the girl's leg. "Daddy!" The man called to his father, the elder man looked up to see what was going on, the young man hopped off of his horse and ran to the girl's side. She frantically kicked her free leg at the dog; however the second hound took her free leg. The young man grabbed the girl's arms and tried to pull her away from the dogs, but it only made things worse. "Cotton stop!" The elder man called out to his son, He lifted up his rifle and in two short blasts shot the canines. The girl fell onto her back and cried. "Damn you Ellison you is done shot my pa's dogs!" Calvin McCoy called out loudly from across the river. "They had no business over on Hatfield land...you hunt a young girl?" Ellison asked calmly leering at them as Cotton helped the girl sit up. She wiped her eyes and looked up at him, he offered her a child-like smile.

"Since when you care about coon skins" Tolbert called glaring at the elder Hatfield "I know what side I fought for,but cruelty is cruelty either way, go on back home" Ellison called out. Tolbert sneer "she's our nigra, mine, ran from us in the night" He called "she ain't no more yours, not by law, go on home, before I cross the river and make you," Ellison said calmly walking over to his son. Calvin & Tolbert went to leave "You're mine Nigra, you hear"He called out; the girl flinched and closed her eyes. Once she heard the two McCoy boys ride off, she opened her eyes and looked down at her legs, tears streamed from her eyes. Large gashes from the canine teeth were carved into her legs, as some chunks where missing. Blood seeped from the wounds and onto the ground around her.

Her feet were raw at the bottom as she had been running for miles barefoot. Her dress torn and stained pink and red from her blood. Her body trembled, Ellison kneeled down before her "I'm Cotton, it's ok, my daddy's run them off, you'll be safe now,what's your name?" The young man asked her, she looked up at him in confusion, he held the innocence of very young child, but looked to be 17 maybe 19 at most, he speech was slow, and soon she understood. "Ch-chyna" she stammered hoarsely, he smiled at her and her eyes wandered to his father Ellison as he walked to their side. He went to gather Chyna in his arms, But she panicked and backed away "You need to have someone look to your legs, My sister in law Levicy, she's good at patchin' up wounds you'll be fine" Ellison said reaching back down to her, He gathered the broken girl into his arms,and mounted his horse. Cotton followed after them as they road away.

The three of them road up to a small house on a bit of land, a woman sat outside in a chair on the porch. She stood up as she spotted Ellison and Cotton Top coming up the hill. She gasped slightly at the sight of a bloody negro girl riding along with Ellison; lord knows anything could have happened. "What happened here, Ellison?" Levicy asked quickly as he carried the girl up the steps. "The McCoy boys had chased her across the river sent dogs after her, her legs are all gnawed up" Ellison stated walking past her and into the house "you'll help her won't ya aunt Levicy, won't ya" Cotton Top as before following his father inside. Levicy sighed heavily, they were having enough problems with the McCoy's they didn't need this. "Fine I'll fix'er up... but she cannot stay in this house" Levicy called "wasn't askin' you for that" Ellison called back to her.

Chyna sat uneasily as Levicy finished stitching up her wounds. "I'm sorry ma'am , I didn't mean to cause no burden,but I do thank you," Chyna said softly trying not to make direct eye contact with Levicy, she kept her head low. Levicy sighed "don't speak nothin'of it, ya hear," she said quickly. Chyna nodded quickly, Levicy glanced up at her "so you'sed to belong to the McCoys huh?" Levicy asked "yes ma'am...along with my Ma and Pa...I was given to Tolbert..." She said her spoke Tolbert's name with fear and her voice shook. Levicy looked up at her, and then toher bloodstained dress. "They beat you?" she asked, Chyna shook her head "No ma'am not beaten," She said tiredly. "They force you?" She asked Chyna got quiet and hung her head a bit more. Levicy quickly finished up with Chyna's legs and stood up "Them McCoy boys ain't got the sense got gave a mule, I tell you, all them McCoys are bad fellows at heart. You just can't deal with them" Levicy said, Chyna could her every drop of bitterness behind her words. "You all don't get along much ain't that right Ma'am..you Hatfields and the McCoys" Chyna stated, Levicy sighed tiredly and nodded.

Chyna looked up as Cotton Top entered the room, he walked over to Chyna's side smiling, Levicy walked out muttering to herself "I tol' you, she's fix you right up" Cotton said Chyna nodded "yes sir"she said simply, Cotton laughed lightly "ain't no one called me sir before."He said Chyna fought the urge to smile. "Why not?" she asked Cotton shrugged "cause...Ain't nobody seen as a sir I'm guessin'" He said Chyna looked up a bit and nodded "I see...Likely they will one day?" she asked Cotton shook his head once sadly "Likely not...they say I'm...B-Birdbrained sometimes..." He said looking down. "well that ain't very nice, not right, not right at all," Chyna said Cotton looked up at her "I always figured it was all in good fun. They ain't meant me no harm"He added. Chyna nodded and cast her eyes to the ground, she felt she was on the verge of speaking out of tongue and she wasn't going to risk that. "where am I gon' go...it's a long road north way...and if I stay in these hills here...." She thought shuddering a bit, she was brought out of her thoughts as Ellison entered the room, he was watching Cotton talk to Chyna who really hadn't noticed being lost in her thoughts. "don't ya think?" Cotton asked her, but she did not reply "Chyna?" He asked shaking her shoulder lightly "Sorry sir, what was that...I'm sorry I musta got lost somewhere in my head" She said quickly. Cotton just smiled "I was sayin' you ain't in no good shape with your legs all 'et up. I bet they let you stay for a while" Cotton said,Chyna looked at him blankly "No sir, I don't see that fix'n to happen...it's not common way"She said Cotton looked confused "why not?" he asked. "you know why sir" she said Cotton thought for a minute "is it" he said thinking hard "on the acount'uh you're a nigger?" He asked Chyna couldn't help but smile as his face which had been thinking hard about the answer "right" Chyna said. "Oh,"Cotton said in a disappointed tone.

"I was doing some thinking," Ellison said speaking up, Chyna jumped having not seen him there. He looked to Cotton "Williams outside Cotton, wait'n on you with Johnse, best go see what they want" Elision said. "Bye Chyna..." Cotton said with a smile before scurrying out of the room. Chyna looked up at Ellison "You were speaking monsieur?" She asked. Ellison nodded "I was thinking that Cotton needs someone to look after him, I've got work and jobs to handle, and his mother's been gone...his cousins got things to do most of the time,no one got much time for him." Ellison said with a long sigh "y-you want me to be his caretaker monsieur?" she asked shocked. "You'll have a home, there's an old unused tack house on my land, if you work the crops and do housework, we'll feed you, cloth you, it grants you a safe place to stay if you don't mind workin'" Ellison said, China thought for a moment, Cotton didn't seem all bad,and Ellison was kindly enough, it was the others she was worried about, let alone the fact that Tolbert and Calvin McCoy were just across the river. "I,I figure I don't have much choice really, thank you Monsieur," She said bowing her head Ellison chuckled "you from Louisiana?" He asked raising a brow "you speak like them Negros down there"he stated "My ma, my ma was, and her Ma, my Grandmother, grew up with a family who moved her by steamship from France. My Pa was from Georgia..so I find my speech is a bit funny" Chyna said. Ellison nodded "well come now, It may hurt but you need to get up, Levicy's gonna fix you in something clean to wear, and then I'll show you to the Tack house" He added. Chyna nodded and slid her legs sorely off the cot she had been laying on; she got to her feet and followed after Ellison quietly.

Levicy shifted through an old dusty trunk, "these here used to be my old clothes back when I was your age..younger. they're old, and dusty but they're good enough for you" She said, her words were somewhat harsh, but Chyna didn't expect much more, as it was they had already shown her much more of a kindness than most others would in these parts. "Thank you Ma'am" she said softly taking the clothing. Levicy helped Chyna out of her torn dress pulling it over her head,she looked down at her back and it held a few lash marks, but not as much as the elder generation of blacks around. Chyna thank her for the help and went to slip into the dress Levicy had offered her. "What you call yourself doing!" Levicy called out loudly walking swiftly to the doorway. Chyna halted and looked behind her, there stood a young man, he was fairly tall thin,he had dark eyes, whether they were brown or blue she couldn't tell. He gawked at her with a straight face. Chyna quickly slid into the dress tying herself up in it and facing Levicy, embarrassed under the man's gaze. "That ain't proper William, aren't you 'sposed to be down at the lake with Johnse and Cotton!" Levicy barked at her son displeased. "I was jus' going to get my rifle Ma" He said quickly seeing how furious she was. Levicy huffed "well get it an' go how a son of mine got so ungodly natured I don't know" Levicy ranted on, she managed to calm herself down and turned to face Chyna "well that's good it fits, now let's get you to Ellison so he can take you on along with him"Levicy said leaving the room "hurry now" she called "yes Ma'am" Chyna said following after her swiftly.


	2. Looming Airs

A year later

Cotton Ran into Chyna's tack house, grinning from ear to ear. Chyna sat down on her bunk, made of hay and some sheets. She was patching up some of Ellison and Cottons clothing "Chyna! Chyna!" he called with a smile on his face. Chyna looked up at him and smiled softly, taking a rest from sewing. "Yes, Cotton Top what is it?" She asked He beamed at her "William Johnse and I are going down to the lake, I want you to come"He said blushing lightly. Chyna laughed lightly "I would Cotton but there's work to be done, I'm behind as it is, you go and have fun Cot" She said turning her focus back to sewing. Cotton looked down in disappointment. "Please, Chyna?" He asked, as she looked up into his eyes she saw she could not say no. Chyna sighed and watched him, he flashed her even sadder eyes, and he knew what he was doing. Cotton knew just how to pull at her heart strings. Chyna sighed in defeat "Alright, alright, I s'ppose I can take this stuff down there and watch ya'll" She said Cotton smiled and helped her gather her things "come on" he called Chyna giggled as he lead her out of the tack house, so enthusiastic. He handed her back her things after she mounted his horse before mounting it himself. He lead the horse to the forest, Up ahead Chyna could see Johnse &; William. Johnse had never really taken to her much, He looked at her with cold eyes and a blank face it had been a year now since she had been hired by the Hatfields. William smirked at her and tilted his head cockily looking between Johnse and Chyna. "looky their Johnse, Cotton is done brang your friend" He mocked Johnse rolled his eyes "that nigger ain't no friend of mine"He muttered, Chyna didn't even flinch at his words, she was plenty used to it and sat quietly with her arms latched around Cotton's waist. "Don't be like that Johnse please," Cotton asked a hint of sadness in his voice "I want Chyna to come with us. don' go scaring her off" He added. Chyna rolled her eyes "it takes a lot more than a rude peckerwood to scare me off Cot" Chyna muttered under her breath there was a sharpness in her voice. Cotton looked back at her and giggled nodding slightly "what that nigger say?" Johnse said squinting his eyes, "oh come on Johnse lets just go, you put too much focus on someone you ain't care to much for" William chuckled leading his horse through the forest.

At the lake Chyna sat under the Old Oak Tree, she kept herself busy sewing up the clothes she had brought with her. The boys were fishing and acting like boys, every now and then Cotton would call back to her in glee about having caught a fish. Chyna would smile at him and nod in approval. There was a large splash Chyna looked up to see Johnse and William playing around in the water, wrestling each other over something petty like brothers do. Chyna shook her head and stopped sewing for a minute to watch. "show him what for William!" Cotton called out "you old shaggy dog you ain't play fair! Let lose my leg!" William called out "you started this William can't take that I'm finishing it?" Johnse asked. Chyna chuckled softly hiding her mouth with her hand. William looked up at her,his focus went away from his play fight and his eyes locked onto her. Chyna looked up and noticed his gaze; she quickly stopped her laughter and went back to sewing, cutting all eye contact. William tore his eyes back to Johnse and his fight. "Stop starin' at that bluegum over'er" Johnse said she shoved William back into the water the force of the splash rippled the water into large waves. One of the waves swept Cotton, who had waded into the water following the fight, into the lakes deeper center. Johnse and William were so caught up in their fight that they took no notice of cotton. Chyna watched for a moment as Cotton made movements like he was going to swim, but only started sinking. He called for Help but Johnse and William were too loud. Chyna put down her sewing supplies and got to her feet, stumbling a bit. "cot?" she called as he went under. "Cotton!" she called out loudly, breaking out into a sprint, she ran past the other two brothers. They stopped fighting to watch her as she ran far into the water before diving into the deep center. The murky and dirty water burned Chyna's eyes as she swam down,she could see Cotton he'd not lost consciousness yet. Chyna grabbed his hand and turned her body around heading for the surface. She pulled him up to her chest and with some trouble lifted his heavy body to the surface. Cotton coughing and gasping for air "Cot is you ok?" she asked gasping for air herself. Cotton nodded. William and Johnse swam out into the center of the Lake to the two of them. They took Cotton from Chyna's arms and started to lead him back to the shallows. Chyna swam behind them slowly but surely.

On the shore Chyna rang out her dress, and watched as William check over Cotton. "You all almost killed him! Ain't you know he couldn't swim!" Chyna barked, walking over to Cotton Top she shoved William away from him slightly "go on" she said before checking up on Cotton herself. "Watch how you address us nigger," Johnse said however Chyna ignored him. William laughed "Cotton's got a Colored mother, always knew some'n wasn't quite right with you Cot" He said. Cotton look up at Chyna "I'm ok, just startled me a bit is all..I'm fine" Cotton said Chyna nodded and stopped fussing over him, she brushed his short blonde hair back into place before turning to looked over at her shoulder. "If I tell Monsieur Ellison of this he'll wring your scrawny lil chicken necks!" Chyna said "Calm down, wasn't no harm done, it was a mistake,what's got your Nigro draws in a bunch" Johnse called. "You coulda killed'em, It's my job to look after him, that was Mister Ellison tol' me and that what I'm do."Chyna said. She walked back to the oak tree and sat down she gathered her stuff and went back to sewing. The boys eventually went back to finishing. "William you got a snag in yur' jaket." Cotton pointed out, feeling better now that he had dried off a bit. "damn..Ma's gonna kill me she just went out an' bought this" William sighed taking it off. "Chyna'll fix it, she's real good at fixin' things," Cotton said with a smile. William looked up at the ebony girl under the oak tree. He sighed and walked over to her holding out his jacket. He tossed it at her "fix it" He said Chyna looked at the jacket that now lay in her lap. She sighed "yes'ir" she huffed picking it up she ruffled through her bag of thread to find a matching color. William watched her work for a moment as if expecting her to be done very soon. Chyna felt uncomfortable under his gaze, eventually she was able to look up at him. "you know...this takes a minute, mayhaps you should go back to fishin' it'll be done by the time you all wanna head on back" Chyna said turning her eyes back to her work.

Noon rolled around, the boys had caught a good number of fish and had Chyna cook a good number of it too. They went to mount their horses, ready to head back home. As William road by Cotton Top and Chyna she handed him back his jacket. "her you go...looks like new all ov'r again" she said with a very small smile. William looked over his jacket mildly amazed "does look like new" he said showing it to Johnse who merely nodded "tol' you she was good" Cotton said proudly as they headed back. The four of the road alone through the forests, Chyna hated and loved these woods. She used to play in them as a child and knew her way around them like a doe. However bad things happen out in these woods and she knew that very well. The boys took a new path through the woods to reach home. They came by a rather large a sturdy tree. Something swung from a rope tied in one of the highest branches. Chyna looked at the Noose with glassed over eyes, a dark feeling washed over her heart as it was red with blood around the loop. Before it something lay chard up, burned to ash. She closed her eyes and turned her head away as Cotton rode by, he hadn't noticed, while William and Johnse were altogether unfazed, they saw it. But it meant nothing to them. Chyna's eyes began to look around fearfully. If she was in a lynching area she wanted out as fast as possible, she tried to make herself look small behind Cotton, but the fact was you can't hide bare skin. All she could do was pray they reached home before they were spotted. Surely if they were, it would pose a problem to all of them. In these parts, Men are not just seen riding around with a Nigro girl in the light of day.

Chyna could now breathe easily; Ellison's house could be seen in the distance. Cotton pulled the horse to a stop Floyd Hatfield tugged behind him a large plump hog. "we gon have good eats tonight boys! Look at this old boy,pork chops, pigs feet, and bacon for a while!" he called William smiled at him. "where'd you find it" He called "well I found it wandering on our land, musta got out of pig pin"Floyd said. Chyna frowned she wanted to speak up,she wanted to ask if it was a good idea to cook a strange pig without finding out whom it belong to. But Floyd wasn't very fond of her either and sat in the same boat as Johnse did on her being there. In short, they felt she should have been sent off a long time ago. Ellison held a large dinner at his house, Chyna prepared all the food, however, he had not stated why the dinner was being held. The house was full of Hatfields, young ones, old ones,fat ones, short ones; loose relatives of the Hatfield line and then those that were not and only good friends. Chyna kept out of sight and in the kitchen. It was not a welcoming environment for her. As Ellison entertained his family outside, Chyna set the table. As she did so she listened to the laughter and the fun being had outside. It made her think of her mother and father, and how even though they grew up and lived working as slaves, she remembered how at dinner time, she would often forget about all of that. It was just them, in the back house, with the few other Slaves that the family owned, talking and having a meal, just like the rest of the people in their houses. A tear slipped down Chyna's cheek as she thought of her parents, she could remember her mother's wise old eyes and her father's impish smile. Her heart ached; she had paused in setting up the table lost in her thoughts. Unknown to Chyna who had become unaware of those around her, thinking they were all outside, William watched her. He leaned against the doorway, his blue eyes focusing on her intently. He watched the tear stroll down her cheek. Chyna came back to reality and set down the last few plates and silverware. As she finished she looked up into the eyes of William, their eyes locked, Chyna froze. White men looking at her in such an unmoving way made her uncomfortable, it was the same way Tolbert had started watching her before he began forcing her. Chyna tore her eyes away from Williams and lay the last fork down. She then scurried off into the kitchen again. William watched her disappear into the doorway and sighed inwardly before leaving back out to the rest of the family.

As he walked back to Johnse he was in deep thought. He had seen a few Coloreds here and there that worked in or around the Hatfield lands, but he'd never seen such a young colored woman, and it was a new creature to him. He knew it was wrong, and went against what he believed and what his folks grew him up on. But he couldn't deny the urge to just feel the touch of her skin, it looked so thick and lush, it wasn't a romantic or lustful attraction just one bred of pure curiosity. William knew better though, and he wasn't planning on being the cat curiosity killed. Chyna cleaned the kitchen from the mess she had made cooking, just as she dried off her hands Ellison walked into the kitchen. "thank you for setting up the table, supper looks mighty fine" He said softly, Chyna looked at him warily "thank you sir" she said. As of late he had been acting strange for the past 3 months or so. At first, Chyna chalked it up to him treating her like he treated his white friends, however, his actions have become a bit buttery and fluffy, that of a love driven man. Chyna didn't like this,but she could not say anything about it, for fear of being kicked out or worse. Though life was rough living with the Hatfields, a world of whites, she had no other place to go to. Weather it felt like it or not, these lands were her home, and would more than likely always be. The family had eaten and Chyna had made herself a little plate, she sat in the kitchen over the pot belly stove and listened to the Hatfield family. "Chyna! Chyna come on out here!" she could hear Ellison call.

Chyna's heart dropped a bit and beat hard with a slight fear. She did not want to be in the room with so many who disliked her so greatly. However she did was she was told to, she was taught to always do what she was told to. She took timid little steps out of the Kitchen, all Hatfield eyes were fixed on her. A few sneered, a few whispered, and other just looked blinking. A warm friendly smile came from Cotton who sat next to his father. "yes sir? What can I get for you?" she asked making herself look as small as possible. "just yourself come stand here" he said, Chyna walked over to Ellison's side, he sat at the farthest end of the table, She could feel Anse watching her,she could fell all of them watching her, she stood stiffly next to Ellison rubbing her arm nervously. "I know you are all wonderin 'bout this dinner," Ellison said with a smile. Many of the guests made their own comments most of them poking fun or cracking some type of joke. "It's been a year since I found a caretaker for my boy Cotton, and she's been doing a mighty fine job. It's been a year to the day now,and I would like to welcome Chyna as an official member of my family" He said. Chyna nearly jumped out of her skin "wha- Mister-Mister Ellison Sir that's not needed, I thank you kindly but" Chyna started "I always wanted a sister" Cotton said with a smile, he got up and hugged Chyna around her neck, she stood limp as her eyes looked at the stunned faces of the Hatfields. "I love my nigger child dearly, and I hope but do not expect you all to mind her, tolerate it at the least" He added looking to his brother Anse who looked very unhappy. "we ain't gon' have no nigger in the family" Levicy said putting her foot down. "she's not officially family, you can regard her as you regard Cotton"Elision said his voice matched the bark that Levicy had. Chana watched the scene with unease. This didn't bode well for the future she could feel it. Eerie feelings washed over her as Cotton pulled out a chair for her to sit at, and join the rest of the Hatfields at the table. She barely breathed and watched their stone cold faces as they looked at her. Something like a foreshadowing in her heart lingered.


End file.
